Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time Chapter 258

Rise (8)

The crackling of a bonfire was prominent. In the glow of the sunset, the dry trees and bushes crackled and shriveled.

“… … .”

The siblings who came from the Ice Palace just stared blankly at the boy in black robe.

Jang Soon-il, the guide boy who had been warming himself up by the campfire, looked at his companion fidgeting.

The twin siblings seemed to be of noble status at first glance, with their faces and clothes shining with pure white luster, and the Ice Palace was a group of martial artists that were considered one of the best in the martial arts world outside of the Ming Dynasty.

Among the Ice-Gong (氷功) martial arts in the world, this is the place where the best can be discussed. It would not be strange to say that there are those who are on par with the divine status held by the companion.

If a fight broke out, at least Jang Soon-il would not be unharmed.

The Daebangpa’s strong men were all known to the common people as being of incredible strength. The aftermath of the collision alone would freeze their bodies and break them.

The herb boy opened his mouth very carefully, trying to organize the passages he had learned to master martial arts.

“That… I’m not saying you made a slip of the tongue. I think there may have been a slight discrepancy between what you said and what you did… .”

“hmm?”

Jeongyeonshin’s head tilted slightly to the side. I spoke properly.

How did he take that reaction? The lips of the twin sister, Bukgung Rin, drew a curve.

“What an interesting friend. You seem to be at an age where meditation and reflection are important… … .”

Her laughter was so hearty that you could tell right away that it wasn’t just a show-off.

A temperament like the north wind that blows hard. It strangely matched with her blue and white hair that seemed to be dyed with frost. The Bukgunghu standing next to her was the same.

“The young warrior has a knack for simple farming. To survive the eternal winter, you must be fearless, and your bold spirit is no different from our land. I like it.”

He said with a faint smile on his face.

Jeongyeonshin suddenly felt as if steam was leaking out.

What can I do with those who accept my irritation that rises like a whirlwind? There are so many annoying and unruly martial artists in the world.

Suddenly, I remember my first meeting with Heonwonchang.

-Have you come to the small brotherhood to enter the Ip Hwang Seong?

He immediately sat down next to me and said that. He was just like them. He approached me without hesitation, in a direction and with a stride I had never experienced before. It was as if he would walk like that to Jeong Yeon-shin’s grave someday.

“Just sit down.”

He said, turning his head back to its original position.

As expected, they did not refuse. The sound of grass being trodden approached. The two walked together and sat down without hesitation between Jang Soon-il and Jeong Yeon-sin.

Even the way he pulled one knee up toward his body and rested his elbow on it was exactly the same, and for that reason, Jeong Yeon-shin found his arrogant demeanor somewhat amusing.

He opened his mouth.

“A thousand years of sewage?”

“Of course. The purpose of all the martial artists who came here must be the same.”

Bukgung Rin answered.

She glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin and put her hand into her bosom. On one side, Jang Soon-il flinched for no reason.

Swish.

What Bukgung Rin took out was not some kind of secret weapon. In his palm, which had turned white as if revealing his achievement in ice magic, a sphere was shining softly.

A blue glow flowed as if the sky was contained within a small surface.

Jeongyeon Shin’s eyebrows narrowed slightly.

“They say that if you get close to the night liquor, you will die young.”

“It is not a night pearl. It is a jewel made by carving out the fragments of ice essence, and it contains a small amount of Han-Bing-Ji-Gi. It will be effective in improving Yun-Gi-Haeng-Gong.”

“Han Bing Jigi?”

“I smelled a cold scent from you.”

Bukgunghou, sitting next to his older sister, blurted out the words.

The eyes of the two siblings were glowing with a soft white light. It seemed as if Jeongyeonshin had sensed traces of the Wolryeongjohwagyeol that she had received from Iphwangseongju.

He had already detected the true energy that had melted into the Neungbeop Gwangryungi. He had come from the Ice Palace, and the way he was able to recognize the same energy in the tangled energy waves was extraordinary.

Even though they were sitting close together, it wasn’t normal. They were members of a mysterious sect.

Jeongyeonshin slowly opened her lips.

“No way.”

“I will treat you as my companion. Since you gave us fire.”

Bukgung Rin held out the hand holding the crystal ball and spoke in a calm tone.

“It is a meaningful act. It is like that in our land. Looking at the stingy human nature, it seems like it is the same here.”

Bukgunghou interrupted her older sister’s words. Jeongyeonshin glanced at Sujeong-gu.

“You look precious.”

“It may be rare to see this on the streets… but not to the people of our palace. Please accept it as a small gift.”

Bukgung Rin slightly shook his fist holding the sphere, and the rough gesture conveyed the feeling of an equivalent exchange.

They are a difficult people to catch. They carry rare items, but they do not carry flint.

A demeanor that differentiates the work of those below from their own conduct. Judging from the fact that they lost their servants, they seemed to be the ruling class of the Ice Palace, the Ice Palace.

‘It might help the poppy girl.’

Jeongyeonshin readily accepted the crystal ball. A cool texture enveloped her palm.

He looked at Jang Soon-il, who was across from him, as if he was envious.

“You two really must have come from the Bukhae Ice Palace. To see the masters of the Sae-oe (塞外) martial arts world that I’ve only heard about… … .”

Bukgunghou smiled faintly.

“Sae-oe. What a truly Zhongyuan-like remark.”

It means outside the Great Wall of China. It is different from sewae (世外), which means a place away from the secular world.

For that reason, the term “new martial artist” meant a warrior from a distant land who lived outside the Ming imperial domain.

They were people with a temperament as rough as the wilderness who actively intervened in worldly affairs.

Cold sweat formed on the bridge of Jang Soon-il’s nose.

“Uh, I’m sorry… … .”

“Okay. Let’s talk. The priests of our land say that the afterlife is made up of only what you’ve seen and heard while alive. That’s why the powerful men of our palace often wander. I wonder why two boys go through such a dangerous battlefield… Aren’t you at an age where you should be pursuing the spirit herb?”

Bukgunghou, who was wearing a noble prayer robe like her older sister, said.

“My nephew is sick.”

Jeong Yeon-shin calmly repeated what she had said to Jang Soon-il.

For a moment, only the sound of fire burning could be heard. Bukgung Rin and Bukgung Hu’s expressions became strange.

“The exact opposite of us?”

“For your age, you are very affectionate. We came here to beat out our rivals in the palace… … .”

Bukgunghou trailed off.

The two people seemed to be impressed by something unknown.

The expressions of the noble siblings from the Ice Palace softened considerably. The light and shadows on their pure white cheeks swayed dreamily.

As a member of the ruling class, they were people who had the luxury of living in a society befitting their status. They were different from other martial artists who were known to be exclusive.

“There is no difference between you and me.”

Jeong Yeon-shin responded briefly.

However, the siblings’ faces did not change. They continued to whisper to Jeong Yeon-shin and Jang Soon-il even as the end of the sunset hanging on the horizon became completely dark.

The rough and simple Sae-oe’s martial arts chieftains were extremely talkative. The silence that had settled in the twilight was filled with warm darkness and pleasant voices.

* * *

“I would like to invite you to join me. No matter what happens in the future.”

“Your older sister has a good offer. I will protect you. You are not going to come down the mountain until this is over, are you?”

We became quite close. We naturally became friends.

Jeong Yeon-shin was a strong man unknown to the noble siblings. He made value judgments about Bukgung Rin and Bukgung Hu from a position unknown to them.

The upper-level function of the Magwangikju was to see the siblings of the Ice Palace as harmless elements. They had no hostility. They were capable of protecting Jang Soon-il in times of emergency.

Four people climbed the mountain.

As I walked along the road, I encountered more and more people.

Even though the rumor had been spreading for quite some time, no one had come forward claiming to have picked the thousand-year-old water lily.

At this point, it would be a problem to give up and go down the mountain. You would inevitably be suspected by those who have formed a defensive formation below.

Those with knives were usually dangerous robbers.

“They look like they’re good guys! Maybe they have a sewer?”

“Let’s look inside!”

The middle was needless to say. It was close to a bloody arena.

Whenever the group got into trouble, the Bukgung siblings stepped in.

Jeong Yeon-shin repeatedly saw the sight of the weapons in the two people’s hands freezing and shattering into pieces. It was a masterful use of the cold ice energy.

Zzz!

“Ugh—!”

The saying that the recommended method is the best method was right. The momentum with which he extended his palm was extremely rough and powerful, and when he finished the ceremony, there was a noble atmosphere.

“There are many things that are weak compared to their greed. In the lands above, there are those who would be fit to be fed to wolves.”

“It’s not an empty promise to protect you. You can think of it as a stroke of luck.”

Bukgung Lin and Bukgung Hu were not ashamed of boasting about themselves. They thought it was right for them to show off their achievements.

Jeongyeonshin nodded inwardly and listened to their words. She considered the likes of Shingeomdanju and Aksurim as her competitors.

As the Magwangikju, his position in competing with them was no different from that of the Bukgung siblings.

If it was a plausible story, I had to accept it and internalize it. I was in no position to be picky.

‘I’ve been gaining a lot lately.’

You shouldn’t look down on people just because they are slow to use their bodies.

He said that not many people have actually seen a snail rolling around. It was worth seeing it for myself to learn from.

Jeong Yeon-shin, who was chewing on the knowledge, suddenly opened her mouth. She was standing with her feet slightly on a rock overlooking the mountain ridge on the other side.

“How did you lose the servants?”

“ah.”

“They weren’t weak. They had red hair.”

The expressions of the Bukgung siblings became clouded. They seemed to be talking about the demons of the Blood Flame Cult.

“You… don’t seem like you’ll be able to defeat the commoners. You should be able to beat even the most skilled Blood Sect swordsman.”

The two people’s eyes widened slightly at Jeong Yeon-shin’s words. Bukgung-hu, who was stepping on the thief’s corpse, quickly opened his mouth.

“Do you know how to properly deal with the Blood Flame Sect? Your knowledge seems to be extraordinary.”

“I guess a lot of people came?”

“It wasn’t one or two. I was dealing with five, but in an instant, there were twenty or thirty. There were red hair and black hair mixed in here and there, and it was just too much to handle. I had no choice but to run away. They were running towards me like they were trying to make Taebaeksan their world… … You should have seen that sight.”

“I couldn’t even think of comparing him to someone who wields two large swords.”

Bukgung Rin added as he spoke.

“I think he was a Langwang (浪人). He seemed like a worthy opponent, at least for a warrior who was one of the best in our land. He had a fearsome spirit all over him. It seemed like it would be hard to take a single blow. That day, I lost all desire to look down on the Central Plains.”

She finished speaking with a frown. Her body trembled slightly, which was unusual for a noble of the Ice Palace.

Jang Soon-il, who was standing far away, reacted as if he had been struck by lightning.

“Your Majesty the King, Your Majesty the King!”

It was a name that Jeongyeonshin had heard before.

The king of those who sell their sword skills for salt and coins.

He had a great reputation as a ronin. He was a Taoist monk in the middle of a political situation, but not many people dared to mess with him. This was because his martial arts skills were excellent.

He was said to be a master who had left behind many achievements while traveling between Hanam and Seomseo. He was said to be a strong man who had inherited the one-man tradition and dominated the martial arts world.

“You received a request from the Blood Flame Cult?”

Magwangikju muttered quietly. He must be a target for assassination.

“Should we go down… should we go down… … ? If we go past here, it looks like there’ll be a sewer about half a day away… … .”

Jang Soon-il, standing far away, spoke in a very cautious voice. Jeong Yeon-shin asked back as if it was strange.

“Didn’t you come after hearing rumors that the leader of the Paegeomjongju and the Hwasanpa was coming? There were also rumors about the Ilsado of the Blood Flame Sect.”

“The leaders of the Thirteen Heavens and the Water Sect are the immortals of the heavens… … The King of Nang is different. He is said to be incredibly cruel. When a sect that suffered damages for a request pursued him, he plucked off the head of the long-legged man with his own hands. He doesn’t hesitate to do anything if there is profit at stake!”

Jang Soon-il spoke. He was shaking all the way to the neck.

‘Isn’t that Kang Ho-in?’

It was when Jeongyeon Shin inwardly tilted her head and moved her toes.

“What a pity. Those who spread rumors about this body like that will have to be killed.”

It was a voice that came from the top of the rocky hill that obscured my left field of vision. The aerodynamic force contained in that extremely rough voice was tremendous. For a moment, the surrounding atmosphere became distorted in several places.

Damn it.

The bastard revealed himself.

The hems of his scarlet trousers sparkled loudly.

He was wearing clothes with ornate gold embroidery and two armors with white clouds drawn on them. He looked more like a king than a ronin.

“I am Geum Si-hoo.”

He was a man with a clean-cut beard, revealing a sharp jawline.

It gave off a sense of prayer that seemed to rule the mountains like a tiger, and the colorless aerodynamic waves that surrounded its entire body felt like armor.

The master’s sense of humor was extraordinary. When I said that, it really came true.

“what……!”

“I said compatibility isn’t something you can just say lightly…!”

Bukgung-hu and Bukgung-rin looked up and lowered their upper bodies. They looked very embarrassed.

They were not old enough to discuss Jeong Yeon-shin’s age, but at this moment, they seemed to realize once again that nothing was impossible in the martial arts world.

However, Ma Gwang-ik did not see the king.

Beyond that, I felt a strangely rippling wave. It was flowing from afar, following the knot of the Mara Hong Blood Demon that I had seen before.

I remember that there were only a few pages left of the revised text that was tailored to the Seven Sado, so I wonder if they changed the style and combined it in their own way.

‘You feel me. You don’t care what happens to the King.’

There’s no avoiding it now. I have to face her.

Jeongyeonshin slowly turned her gaze. Soon, her eyes met with Geumsihoo’s.

The king laughed.

“You, I can tell by your appearance. You’re the one who started this situation. Thanks to you, I got plenty of salt.”

It seemed like he knew Jeongyeonshin’s true identity and was talking. Contrary to his expression, his entire body’s muscles were contracting and relaxing repeatedly.

He seemed ready to strike at any moment, but there was not a single hint of him looking down on me.

He was a long-lived ronin.

Ma Gwang-ik opened his mouth calmly.

“Come down.”

“Shouldn’t it be right for the young man to move? I’ll give up the lead.”

The corners of the King’s mouth went up as he lowered his head.

Spacing and positioning are very important, even in the fights of the best fighters.

The gap between the upper and lower parts slightly affects the power of the strike and the power of the wave. A difference of a single sheet of paper can mean the difference between life and death.

King Nanwang Geum Si-hu was a practical man. He valued the benefits of fighting more than saving face.

“I hear you’re right.”

Jeong Yeon-shin did not continue the fight.

He pulled out the Bukmyeong sword with his right hand and performed the magic of Hwankang with his left palm.

The two elements of the Neungbeop Gwangryungi split apart and collide like a wall bullet in the center.

At the same time, as I tightened and released the Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian on my left arm, the lightning in my palm began to stay there.

‘It’s a start.’

Kwaaaa …

An overwhelming current of air swirled from his palm. It was unceasing.

The air wave that heated and swept through the atmosphere gradually grew like a typhoon. The hems of her black clothes fluttered violently.

“that……!”

The King opens his eyes wide. The presence of the Seven Sado makes his body tremble.

There was no time to wait. Jeong Yeon-shin slammed the stone wall that the king had stepped on.

Kwaaaa …

A loud noise like a thrill erupted in an instant and echoed in all directions.